Disposable basin liner

ABSTRACT

A sanitary liner for a manicure or pedicure soaking basin. The sanitary liner is formed from a plastic or rubber which is light and inexpensive so that it can hold soaking solution when necessary and dump out the solution when necessary. It is disposable so that customers of beauty salons can each have soaking solution held in a different liner and thereby avoid the possibility of soaking in a basin that is contaminated with pathogens from a prior customer. It fits smoothly inside the reservoir of a common commercial salon soaking basin. It may be rigid or it may be pliable so that fluid pressure causes it to conform to the inside of the reservoir.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application incorporates provisional patent application No.60/303,728 by this reference. Provisional patent application No.60/303,728 has an application filing date of Jul. 6, 2001. Applicantclaims the benefit of the filing date of that provisional application byreason of this incorporation by reference.

STATEMENT AS TO RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS MADE UNDER FEDERALLY-SPONSOREDRESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

[0002] This invention was not made under federally sponsored researchand development. All rights are retained by the inventors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] 1. Field of the Invention

[0004] Persons receiving a pedicure customarily have their feet soaked,among other reasons so that the skin and nails will be softened. Thissoaking takes place in a special basin at the nail salon. The form ofthe special basins is described below in description of the related art.The problem in the field is that multiple customers use these basins,and so certain infectious organisms can be transmitted from one customerto the next customer who uses the basin. Commonly, these infectiousorganisms are fungi, which can be especially difficult to eradicate oncethey have gotten a toehold. Bacteria and certain other transmissiblepathogens have proven a problem as well.

[0005] Persons receiving a manicure similarly soak their hands in abasin at the beauty salon. In theory, there is also a risk of diseasetransmission from this practice, although the pedicure basin iscurrently the most likely source of pathogen transmission as between thetwo.

[0006] 2. Description of Related Art Including Information DisclosedUnder 37 CFR Sections 1.97 and 1.98.

[0007] In the related art are several devices containing a germicidalfluid, into which one immerses the feet prior to swimming. There areanti-contamination liners for hospital bathtubs. There are a largenumber of footwash systems involving brushes in the basin or conduitsand jets to cause water flow or direct water flow. The brushes, jets,and conduits can all harbor contaminating organisms which increase thelikelihood of contracting a foot infection from a basin at a salon.Usually, the bathtub liners have a drain, even if they are disposable.This is because of the special problem that a bathtub holds too muchwater to be lifted by a normal person. The liner must have a drain or bebailed out after the bath.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] This invention is a disposable liner which is shaped to conformto the interior of a commercially available salon soaking basin. Theliner is used to contain the soaking solution and the extremity beingsoaked and a different liner is used for each customer. Since the lineris light, inexpensive, and disposable, beauty salon customers can gainassurance by use of the liner, that their extremities will not come intocontact with pathogenic organisms left by previous customers. There isno need for a drain since the liner holds a small enough amount ofliquid that it can be emptied over the rim once the customer is finishedsoaking. This helps keep the liner inexpensive enough for routine use inbeauty salons. In combination with commercially available salon soakingbasins, the liner is a foot spa or hand spa which permits saloncustomers to enjoy a safe but enjoyable soaking experience at the salon.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is an exploded diagram of a sanitary liner and the soakingbasin to whose shape it conforms.

[0010]FIG. 2 is an exploded diagram of a sanitary liner and the soakingbasin to whose shape it conforms.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0011] The preferred embodiment of this invention is a disposable basin(1) with an inside (2) and an outside (3). The inside (2) of the basin(1) is concave and adapted to hold a suitable amount of water or otherliquid for purposes of soaking a human extremity prior to or during anail care operation at a beauty salon. The basin is lightweight,inexpensive, and preferably rigid (although not necessarily rigid). Itis probably molded plastic such as polycarbonate or PET plastic.

[0012] The outside of the basin is shaped so that it closely conforms tothe shape of a reservoir (4) of a common commercial salon washbasin (5).The basin fits down into the reservoir and is then filled with thesoaking solution. In the case of a basin that is not rigid, it is thepressure of the soaking solution which causes the basin to be shaped toconform to the reservoir. At FIG. 1 a pedicure footwashing basin isshown as an example of the salon washbasin (5). In washbasins of thistype it is common for the reservoir (4) to be an elongate heart shape sothat the two feet can fit comfortably into the basin side by side. Thesecommercial washbasins will commonly have a control (6) for the purposeof changing the temperature or flow of the water or other liquid, orpossibly to engage a vibrating mechanism. In the case of a commercialwashbasin that can vibrate or alter temperature, an appropriateembodiment of this invention can be used in combination with suchfeatures. The control is shown for descriptive purposes only as it isnot part of the instant invention. This invention does include avibrating stand adapted to be used as a vibratory foot spa or to be usedwith one of the disposable liners placed on it containing foot soakingsolution. Thus either a dry foot massage or a vibratory foot soakingmassage is possible with this platform. At FIG. 3 the platform can beseen with its base (7), its vibrating means (8), and its platform (9).The instant invention is the basin (1) with its inside (2) and outside(3). This is not a design patent, and the specific shape shown will notbe the only shape which a disposable salon liner might have which couldbe used to prevent infection. It is merely an illustrative example ofthe shape of a disposable liner for one of the common commercialwashbasins being used. In the case of a basin that is not rigid, it willhave a different shape depending on the shape of the reservoir in whichit is used. An oblong shaped salon washbasin is also common on themarket as shown in FIG. 2. The invention is again shaped to conformclosely to the shape of the inside (2) of the basin (1). A manicurebasin does not need to have the characteristic heart shape since handsare smaller and shaped differently. Of course, the disposable linerwould be shaped to fit the interior of the manicure basin, possibly bythe pressure of the soaking solution itself.

[0013] The inside (2) does not necessarily need to have the same concaveshape as the reservoir (4), although this would probably be the mosteconomical shape, since it would minimize the amount of plastic neededto mold the invention. In a rigid embodiment, it is possible to make abasin whose inside is not the same shape as the outside, but moreplastic would be needed than would be the case in a basin that conformsclosely to the shape of the reservoir.

[0014] A second embodiment of the invention would be a spray-on linerwhich is non-toxic, flexible, and leak-proof when it dries. A spray-onlatex or silicone rubber substance is suitable for this purpose as longas it is non-toxic. It would be sprayed from a pressure canister in muchthe same way that other substances are sprayed, ranging from paint tocooking oil. To use it, the operator would spray the reservoir (4) ofthe salon washbasin and allow the liner to dry (forming the basin (1)).Soaking liquid can then be placed inside and the customer's extremitycan be soaked. When the soaking is finished, the fluid is dumped and theliner (or basin (1)) is peeled away. It can then be discarded. Thissecond embodiment is an example of a basin that is not rigid and notpre-shaped.

We claim:
 1. A liner for a human extremity soaking reservoir having aninside and an outside; the liner being impermeable to water so that whenthe outside is placed against the reservoir, aqueous solutions can beplaced against the inside where they will be held free of contaminationby pathogens from the reservoir.
 2. The liner of claim 1 being pliableand having a shape determined by a concavity of said reservoir.
 3. Theliner of claim 2 further comprising propellant and a canister; the linerand the propellant being inside the canister; the liner being forcedfrom the canister onto the reservoir by pressure exerted by thepropellant; the liner adhering to itself to form a water impermeablesheet against the reservoir; and the liner being removable from thereservoir after use.
 4. The liner of claim 1 the liner being rigid. 5.The liner of claim 4 in which the liner is molded plastic.
 6. The linerof claim 1 in which the liner is heat resistant and conducts heat. 7.The liner of claim 1 in which the liner is sterilized and is provided inpackaging which will maintain sterility until the packaging is removed.8. A foot spa having a base, a vibrating means and a platform; said basehaving a flat bottom adapted to rest against a floor; said platformbeing substantially planar and adapted to receive a basin; said platformand said base being connected by said vibrating means so that saidvibrating means can vibrate said platform.
 9. A rigid disposablesanitary liner for a nail salon spa comprising an inside and an outside;said outside being substantially convex and adapted to conform closelyto the shape of said spa when said liner is placed against said spa;said liner is composed of a substance impermeable to water and isunitary so that said inside is connected to said outside; and saidinside being substantially concave so that aqueous solutions will beheld therein by gravity when said outside is placed against said spa,and said aqueous solutions are placed against said inside.
 10. Thesanitary liner of claim 9 in which said sanitary liner is sterilized andsaid sanitary liner is enclosed in packaging to preserve the sterilityof said sanitary liner until said packaging is removed.
 11. The sanitaryliner of claim 9 in which said liner is heat resistant and conductsheat.
 12. The sanitary liner of claim 9 in which said liner issufficiently durable to withstand oscillation imparted to said aqueoussolutions by said spa.
 13. The sanitary liner of claim 9 in which saidliner is molded plastic.